School Back in Session, Dr. Tonika Green Offers Advice to Parents on CBS 8, NBC 7

With in-person instruction resuming in San Diego schools, Dr. Tonika Green, professor in counseling and school psychology, joined CBS News 8 over the weekend to talk about what parents need to know about preparing their kids to return to the classroom.

Faculty Focus: A Powerful Voice Against Anti-Asian Racism

By Michael Klitzing

Dr. Nellie Tran was already writing her congressional testimony on anti-Asian discrimination and violence when news broke about the killing of eight people — six of them Asian American women — in a series of mass shootings in Georgia. The Mar. 16 incident put a horrific spotlight on the surge of racism and violence targeting Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Two days later, Tran — associate professor in counseling and school psychology at San Diego State University and vice president of the Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA) — and Anne Saw from DePaul University submitted the AAPA’s written testimony to the House Judiciary Committee’s hearing on Discrimination and Violence Against Asian Americans. The document provided both historical context for anti-Asian racism as well as recommendations for federal action. 

COE Faculty Launch Center to Advance Research into Black Education, Wellness

Drs. Estella Chizhik and Sesen Negash. Photo/illustration by Ian Ordonio and Manny Uribe.

By Michael Klitzing

In the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd last spring, a group of Black faculty in the San Diego State University College of Education met virtually to share their grief, vent their frustration — and strategize what to do about it. 

“I was attending UCLA during the beating of Rodney King, so I've seen cycles of this,” said Dr. Estella Chizhik, professor of teacher education, referring to the Black motorist whose brutal beating by police in 1991 sparked worldwide outrage when the officers were acquitted on charges of using excessive force. 

“I just wanted it to stop somehow. It seemed like there needed to be some very intentional thinking behind these issues related to bias, police violence and the Black experience.” 

From Behind a Screen, Lecturer Takes Future Educators to the Outdoors

By Michael Klitzing

As a lecturer in the San Diego State University Department of Child and Family Development, Carolyn Sanders teaches courses in multiple settings. But the course she calls her “passion project” typically meets in only one location: the natural canyon landscape of the SDSU Children’s Center’s backyard. 

For the future educators enrolled in Children and Nature, “That's where the service learning happens,” Sanders said. “We've actually planted, dug up and changed the ground covering. We've done a lot of work there.” 

Children and Nature provides a testing ground for prospective teachers to learn how to address the growing disconnect of children from the natural environment — a long-term trend with detrimental effects on mental, physical and emotional well-being. By getting their hands dirty in the Children Center’s Memory Park, students discover alternatives to teaching within the constraints of four walls.

SDSU Names Wood Vice President for Student Affairs and Campus Diversity

San Diego State University Chief Diversity Officer J. Luke Wood, the Dean’s Distinguished Professor of Education in the College of Education, has been selected to serve as Vice President for Student Affairs and Campus Diversity. Wood will begin transitioning into the position effective May 26, 2020 and assume full duties for the newly combined division on June 15, 2020.

SDSU President Adela de la Torre announced Wood’s appointment in a campus notice, indicating that Wood will oversee the newly formed Division of Student Affairs and Campus Diversity, which unites the Division of Diversity and Innovation and the Division of Student Affairs.

Lecturers’ Early Tech Adoption, Grace Fuels Virtual Transition Success

Diana Pastora Carson (third from left), Rachel Schlesinger (right) and their TAs.

By Michael Klitzing

Television news coverage of the early spread of COVID-19 in the United States provided an eerie backdrop for Diana Pastora Carson and Rachel Schlesinger as they passed through airport terminals on their way back from New Orleans in early March. It was a strange time to travel, but for the pair of San Diego State University lecturers, the timing was also somewhat fortuitous.

Carson and Schlesinger had just attended a conference for Top Hat — an online education platform they had been using for a couple of years to increase student participation and engagement in the General Studies 420: Disability and Society course they teach together. Soon, they’d need to use it to tackle a new challenge — moving 600 students from two large lecture halls to virtual learning.

And they’d need to do so in one week.
 

Peterson Elected President of American Rehabilitation Counseling Association

By Michael Klitzing

A member of the San Diego State University College of Education faculty will soon lead the rehabilitation counseling field’s top professional organization. Dr. Sonia Peterson, assistant professor in the Department of Administration, Rehabilitation, and Postsecondary Education (ARPE), has been elected president of the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA).

Peterson will be officially named president-elect starting July 1 and will serve a one-year term as president starting in July 2021.

ARPE’s Garcia-Navarrete Honored for Work to ‘Send the Elevator Back Down’

By Michael Klitzing

For Dr. Sylvia Garcia-Navarrete (’91, ’12), awards season is apparently in full swing. The lecturer in San Diego State University’s Department of Administration, Rehabilitation and Postsecondary Education (ARPE) received two major honors recognizing her achievements and dedication to her home community in San Diego’s South Bay area.

In February, she was recognized as a Chula Vista Champion by her hometown of Chula Vista. And just days later, she received a surprise phone call informing her that she’d been named the Woman of the Year for the 40th Senate District by California State Senator Ben Hueso.

Perseverance and Perspective: In Wake of Adversity, Vasquez Finds Meaning in Fellowship

By Michael Klitzing

Tears were flowing as Dr. Marissa Vasquez read the acceptance letter.

The assistant professor in the Department of Administration, Rehabilitation and Postsecondary Education (ARPE) learned last month that she was named to the Faculty Fellows of the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE). It’s a great honor and opportunity bestowed by an organization that once helped instill Vasquez’s belief that she could become a professor.

But that wasn’t the reason for her tears.

Drs. Chizhik, Brandon Work to Bring More Students of Color into Teaching

By Michael Klitzing

For much of her childhood, Dr. Estella Chizhik attended predominantly white schools and was taught by exclusively white teachers. That was until her father, a U.S. Army officer, was transferred to Fort McPherson in Atlanta. He decided to send Estella to attend 7th grade at Sylvan Elementary, a public school in the predominantly black neighborhood near the base.

“The whole time I was growing up, from kindergarten through 6th grade, I thought I wasn't very bright,” said Chizhik, who is black. “Ms. Maribel looked at me and she asked what reading level I was in. I said, ‘I don't know, I guess I'm in the low.’ She said, ‘Let’s give the high reading group a try. I think there's something more there.’”

Placed in the high reading group, Chizhik said she was positive she would fail. Instead, she excelled.

7 Things You Didn’t Know About Luke Duesbery

Dr. Luke Duesbery is an associate professor in the School of Teacher Education and co-directs the online master’s in teaching and directs our college’s Center for Teaching Critical Thinking and Creativity. But there is more to him than just that. Find out more about Luke in this edition of 7 Things You Didn’t Know About Faculty and Staff!

7 Things You Didn’t Know About Regina Brandon

You may know Dr. Regina R. Brandon as an associate professor in the Department of Special Education where she’s the coordinator of the Preliminary Special Education, Mild/Moderate Credential Program. But did you also know she’s a popcorn-loving world traveler who pledges allegiance to Raider Nation? Find out more about Regina in this edition of 7 Things You Didn’t Know About Faculty and Staff!

COE News in Brief

Accomplishments, awards, events and more — here’s a glance at a few things you may have missed in the College of Education over the past month:

Honors and Achievements: March, 2019

The College of Education is delighted to congratulate the following members of the COE family for their recent achievements:

Beyond Valentine’s Day: SDSU Researcher Shares Key To Happy Relationship

Valentine’s Day brings couples together, or does it?

In some cases, research shows the holiday can also prompt break-ups. KPBS News turned to San Diego State University assistant professor Alyson Shapiro with the Child and Family Development department to find out the ingredients of a healthy coupling.

View the interview at KPBS.org.

Mentor Program Helps New Hires Achieve Tenure

Dr. Sascha Longstreth (right) with Dr. Idara Essien, assistant professor of child and family development.

By José A. Álvarez

Her goal is very clear: making sure junior and new faculty at the College of Education are successful in academia and achieve tenure.

As the director of COE’s Faculty Mentor Program, Dr. Sascha Longstreth’s primary objective is to make sure all junior and new faculty members feel supported in their pursuit of a fulfilling and successful academic career at San Diego State University.

7 Things You Didn't Know About Dr. Caren Sax

Need some travel tips? Look no further than our own Department of Administration, Rehabilitation, Postsecondary Education (ARPE) Department Chair, Caren Sax! She went from small town Illinois to a world traveler with an impressive travel history! Though it was 16 years before she first saw the ocean, she has since become an avid sailor. Read more on this edition of 7 Things You Didn’t Know About Faculty & Staff to learn more about the variety of skills she has acquired over the years!

Research to Support Latino Students in STEM

By José A. Álvarez

Dr. Felisha Herrera Villarreal is elated.

That’s because she’s been awarded two National Science Foundation (NSF) grants that will bring San Diego State University nearly $2.6 million to support research projects focused on diversifying Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) pathways.

Welcome from Dean Chung

Welcome to the 2018-19 academic year! I am excited to share with you many new happenings this year. SDSU has a new President (Dr. Adela de la Torre), a new Interim Provost (our former Dean, Dr. Joseph Johnson), 3 new Deans (including myself), and 4 Interim Deans. Our College has 3 new Chairs/Directors (Dr. Lynne Bercaw for the School of Teacher Education, Dr. Margarita Machado-Casas for the Department of Dual Language and English Learner Education, and Dr. Rafaela Santa Cruz for the Joint Ph.D. Program in Education). Additionally, we have 12 new faculty members this year. The excitement is in the air, and we anticipate a lot of new ideas and initiatives coming out this year and beyond.

COE Welcomes New Faculty for Fall 2018

The College of Education is excited to welcome 13 new faculty members for the fall semester. This talented group is a wonderful addition to the SDSU community!